Maybe nobody may have predicted Ramon Rivera would allegedly go on a stabbing spree in broad daylight one month after getting out of jail, killing three folks at random.
However previously, he had expressed homicidal ideas and been hospitalized for severe psychological sickness, based on sources acquainted with his case.
Rivera’s psychological well being could have been concerned in three tragic deaths, but it surely didn’t seem to play a significant position in selections all through his legal file.
He had many arrests, largely non-violent, together with a housebreaking at a comfort retailer on Second Avenue. After ending up on Rikers Island in February, sources acquainted with the case say some earlier psychological well being points resurfaced.
Rivera was despatched from Rikers to the Bellevue psychiatric unit at the least twice. Whereas there on Could 6, he allegedly assaulted a correction officer. However court docket transcripts from a listening to three months later present no point out was manufactured from the assault, nor Rivera’s psychological well being points. He pleaded responsible in change for a 364-day sentence at that listening to.
Had he served that full sentence, he would nonetheless have been at Rikers fairly than on the streets of Manhattan Monday.
As a substitute of remaining at Rikers till February 8, 2025, legislation enforcement sources say the town’s Division of Correction used its “good behavior” customary to launch Rivera on Oct. 17 after serving two-thirds of this sentence.
Monday’s assaults got here simply over a month later.
Police mentioned the primary stabbing occurred at 8:22 a.m. on West nineteenth Road in Chelsea, when a 36-year-old man was knifed within the stomach outdoors a building website the place the sufferer was working. He was pronounced lifeless at a hospital and later recognized as Angel Lata Landi, of Peekskill.
About two hours later, officers responding to a 911 name of a person stabbed on East thirtieth Road discovered a 67-year-old with a number of stab wounds to the stomach. That sufferer, later recognized as Chang Wang, additionally died at a hospital. Police mentioned Wang had been fishing alongside the East River when he was attacked.
Simply half-hour after that got here the third assault, a lady stabbed close to forty second Road and First Avenue. The 36-year-old, Wilma Augustin, of Manhattan, initially was taken to a hospital in essential situation with stab wounds to her chest and left arm. She later died of her accidents.
Augustin was a migrant residing in a midtown shelter along with her younger son, based on one among her neighbors.
Rivera was apprehended just a few blocks from that scene, discovered with blood on his garments and the 2 kitchen knives, authorities mentioned. A legislation enforcement supply advised NBC New York Rivera confessed to the stabbings, allegedly telling police he focused victims who have been alone and preoccupied on the time.
Rivera was arraigned Tuesday and ordered held behind bars, with the decide noting his legal historical past. His public defender requested for a psychological well being analysis. His attorneys didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
A person accused of stabbing three folks to loss of life in Manhattan confronted a decide on Tuesday, as extra data got here to mild out in regards to the suspect’s prolonged legal previous. NBC New York’s Melissa Colorado reviews.
